by Christopher Bompas

If you are part of Yeoville, you will know that Joe Muthee often starts his sermon by introducing himself as the proud husband of Cathy and father of two beautiful kids. We caught up with Joe to find out more.

Chris: Tell us about your background, for example, how you came to South Africa, where you went to school and your family?

Joe: I came to S.A. from Kenya at the age of 11 with my mom by road. It took us five days to get here. Soon afterwards, I enrolled in Hillcrest Primary School and then completed my secondary education at Jeppe High School for Boys. I have three sisters and a brother. My youngest sister lives in Kenya while the rest of my siblings live in Joburg. Both my parents are alive and they live in Kenya.

Chris: What are your hobbies and interests? How do you relax?

Joe: I enjoy reading books, watching sports (soccer in particular), listening to good music (Deep House takes the cake) and connecting with people. I also enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities.

Chris: How did you come to know Christ? Was it in Cornerstone Church?

Joe: Jesus Christ drew me to himself at a yearly NCMI Equip in September 2006. This was after two years of floating around.

Chris: Tell about your journey into eldership?

Joe: The call to eldership came after seven years of faithfully serving in any and every role possible. It was a surprise at first but I knew it was right as I had desired it. But along the journey I had to come to terms and understand that I do not need a title to serve Christ. Once this settled in my heart, it wasn’t long before I got ordained. What a journey! Being an elder is a function, not a title.

Chris: Who are your spiritual mentors or the people that inspire you?

Joe: RT Kendall is one of my favourite modern-day spiritual heroes. The late Michael Eaton is another one who has influenced or shaped my Christian life. As this is a journey, I have other names within our ranks that I have great respect for and some are not even ‘elder’ than me. For me, a hero is someone who you know – you have seen their weaknesses and their strengths, and not just their strengths (their high moments).

Chris: Long before our site was started you were involved in evangelisation in Yeoville. Why did you choose this community?

Joe: I didn’t choose Yeoville; God gave me a love for the people in this beautiful community. Planting this site was not difficult as I loved the people. Interestingly, Yeoville was the first place I lived in when I arrived in S.A.

Chris: What are the challenges and opportunities that you and Ken have in ministering in Yeoville?

Joe: Challenges: Spiritual immaturity and prevalent socio-economic problems. Opportunities: Many Yeovillians feel they have no hope. We have the opportunity to bring hope to them through the gospel. We also have opportunities to up-skill people in various ways in order for them to provide for themselves.

Chris: As a market-place elder, how do you balance your business with your ministry?

Joe: The simplest answer is by the grace of God. I am not being ‘super-spiritual’. I have no idea how I balance everything, it just happens.

Chris: What kind of legacy would like to leave for your children?

Joe: I would love for my children to impact their respective communities with the gospel: the love of Christ, first and foremost – and also open doors for others to succeed in different industries.